Strike in the North

It’s been a long time since I last shared my readings of this city where I live.

I have once again restarted my life. Dreams have turned into reality, and reality has also turned into dreams.
I have no idea of how to structurate this post. I am nnot sure of how much I should write this time, and still give you as much as I want to transmite.

But, let u stry with now, right now, and eventually I will come back to the recent past, and maybe to the several months I was silent here...

There is a strike in Norway.

This is not the first time Norway is hit by a strike. In my time here (almost 8 years), it has been at least twice that the negociations between employers and employees have taken longer to conclude, and employees have had to observe their right to strike.

However, this time it seems to be taking longer.

Allow me to share with you how and why this seems special before my eyes.

Unions have a strong presence in laboral Norway. Sometimes I even wonder if not too strong a presence – too much power, or not a party-allied position.

However, every abril-may unions and employers revise their relationship. I my eyes, they review salaries. And like I said before, it may take short or long to come into an agreement.

The point is, when there is no agreement, unions call for a strike. Now, this is where I find it interesting. I admit that I dont know how it works in other countries than those I am related to. But in Norway, unions call for a gradual strike.

So, during the first days you may choose to ignore the consequences of the strike. I mean, in the first week, I saw some owrkers at Universitie, having a coffe, and distributing flyers where they explain the reasons of their strike. I mean, very few have even stopped to get a flyer. You may ask why I was interested... I will tell you straight, I have my left wing inspiration, and a deep respect for working people who fight for what they mean is fair (which can be relative).

As I was saying, some people were out striking. Some kinder out in some small towns were closed, and as I said, it was kinda far away from the majority, at least in Oslo.

After some days, some of the unions reached an agreement with their employers, and those workers were back to work.

The Unions that are still on strike, however, are taking more people to th strike.

So today we had the following picture:

-       less security for transport services (hahaha people can officially snick in, anyway the control service has been bad for the past 5 years)

-       less police in the streets (ask the Ministry of foreign affairs when they had Hillary Clinton visiting last weekend)

-       less cleaning personal – so for once Oslo has become one stinking town. Ok, still at European standards, but it is not fun

-       Newspaper report that some health services are down

-       And from today more kindergartens are being closed. Including the one my daughter attends. The closing is gradual, and therefore she can still be there between 10 and 14. But hey, imagine those parents working 08.00 – 16.00!

I find it very interesting! So actually the country can stop! So actually politicians, policy makers and employers can understand the importance of the working class!

I know that they will eventually reach an agreement. In a way it even feels as if they are just playing their parts. Soon they will shake hands, and the newspapers will tell us that ”så mye har du å slåss bort i år” (You have got so much $$ to mess with, this year”)...

I am just glad I am already on vacations from Uni, and I can spend my days with my girl.

But I must confess, I would like to see this strike go on for at least two more weeks.